Cross-party call for SEND funding reform

Funding for SEND children is said to be adding "real pressure" to council budgets in York and North Yorkshire

Politicians from York and North Yorkshire's two councils have made a cross-party call for urgent reform to funding for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Gareth Dadd, North Yorkshire Council's Conservative deputy leader, said rising costs of SEND transport mean the overall cost of home-to-school transport has risen to nearly £50m.

Katie Lomas, the City of York Labour councillor in charge of finances, said the system around special educational needs was "broken."

The government said it knows councils are doing everything they can to keep running vital services, and it wants to support them as much as possible.

North Yorkshire Council's overall budget is £1.4bn.

It provides all the county's major services after the seven, smaller district councils, and the county council, were merged into one.

"The ongoing pressures of children's social care, SEND and education, health and care plans, home-to-school transport costs which are knocking on the door of £50m a year now because of the pressure of SEND," said Gareth Dadd.

"We are looking towards 30 October that there may be a ray of light there from this incoming government."

He said the government had promised change and the change they wanted was not a "a few coppers".

"It is more fundamental than that."

'Huge pressure'

City of York Council's revenue budget is £149m.

As a consultation on next year's budget was begun in July, Labour councillors said finances were "close to breaking point."

"The system around special educational needs is really broken," said Lomas.

"We absolutely should be giving a high quality, targeted service to those children who need that additional help and support.

"The system is not set up to do that properly. It is a huge budget pressure, to give those children the support they deserve.

"We rightly prioritise that. But it is a huge cost pressure."

Local government minister Jim McMahon said Labour inherited a "crisis" in local government.

The minister said all councils faced significant challenges as demand for critical services "rockets" in adult social care, children's services and temporary accommodation.

"We will work hand-in-hand with councils by moving towards multi-year funding settlements to provide long-term stability, ending competitive bidding processes, and ensure the sector gets back on its feet.”

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